


The Blessing of the Goddess

by hesychia



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Bisexual Character, Eventual Fluff, Friendship/Love, Kissing, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Multi, OT3, One Shot, Polyamory, Zutaraang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:01:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24704245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hesychia/pseuds/hesychia
Summary: Aang never wanted to be the Hero of Time, but when the goddess Farore calls upon him to receive her mark and be granted the power of wind, he knows he must rise to meet his fate. Luckily, he will not have to face this destiny alone. Joined by the other heroes blessed with the power of fire and water, Aang will overcome the evil that plagues the kingdom of Hyrule, as well as confront the feelings he harbors for his teammates.
Relationships: Aang & Katara & Zuko, Aang/Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19





	The Blessing of the Goddess

The boy had never spent so long on the forest floor. The trees of the Lost Woods rose high on either side of him, as his thin bark shoes pressed into an intricately carved stone path, picking up dust layered from a thousand years of disuse. The shoes stopped short at his ankles where the brown fabric of his loose pants gathered. At his skinny waist, the pants met a long sleeved green shirt, with a leafy short cape loose around his shoulders. He was no older than twelve summers, with cropped black hair and wide brown eyes that beheld the ancient ruins that grew closer.

Faded pillars of rock met in an arch in front of him; the pattern on the path spread out past the entrance and swirled in a large circle that rippled out towards a stone statue of a female figure. The boy paused beneath the arch, faltering for a moment. He glanced back over his shoulder, longing for the safety of the dark green forest behind him.  


A loud chirping sound came from the tree above him, and the boy looked up to see a lemur with large ears. The creature swung from a branch and leapt onto the boy’s shoulders, wrapping it’s long skinny tail around him. The boy laughed and reached up to scratch the lemur’s furry head, and the creature purred at the touch.  


The boy looked back at the statue apprehensively. “What if the Deku Tree was wrong, Momo? What if I’m not the Hero of Time?”  


The lemur sat back on his shoulder, cocking its head and staring at him with large round black eyes.  


“There’s lots of kids in the village; maybe the tree’s just confused.” He asserted himself. “I should go back, just to make sure.”  


The wind rushed past him and towards the statue, rustling through the leaves far above him. Momo leapt to the earth, running to a spot beneath the arch where he paused, looking back over its shoulder to see if Aang was following.  
The boy took one final wistful look back; he heard Momo chirp loudly and turned, smiling as he said, “I’m coming, I’m coming,” before stepping forward and crossing the threshold.  


Momo jumped onto the boy’s leg and climbed up to his shoulder, resuming his perch as the boy approached the statue. Aang examined the faded words on the pedestal, reading aloud, “‘Farore, the goddess of the wind and courage.’” He looked up into the stone face of the woman, before squaring his shoulders, opening his arms wide and calling, “Oh mighty Farore, goddess of the wind and courage, I summon you!”  


There was no movement in the clearing. Aang waited a few more moments before clearing his throat, speaking loudly, “The Deku Tree sent me! He says I’m the Hero of Time!”  


Again, he was met with silence. Aang scratched his head, moving closer to the statue and rapping his knuckles against the rock. “Um… Farore? Helloooo. Farore.”  


He waited another moment before hopping onto the pedestal, standing beside the statue. Aang called the goddess’s name multiple times, moving himself around to approach the figure from all angles. “Farore. Farore? Farooooooore.” He stood on his tip toes, grabbing the goddess’s face in his hands before whispering, “Farore.” 

Momo leapt from his shoulder and the movement startled Aang, causing him to fall backwards off the pedestal and land hard on the earth.  


The boy groaned in pain, rising to his knees as the lemur ran in circles around him. “I guess the tree was wrong.” Aang saw that a few of his belongings had fallen onto the ground, and he began to pick up the scattered objects. As the boy reached for a pan flute, the lemur froze and began to sniff at the instrument. Momo chirped excitedly; confused, Aang grasped the pan flute and examined it. He returned his gaze to the statue, lifted his elbow to hold the instrument to his lips, and blew.  


He had never rehearsed this melody. The song came from his soul, and his fingers flew effortlessly; the wind began to move around him, picking up leaves from the earth and swirling them in an aerial dance through the clearing. The eyes of the statue began to glow, the gust of wind intensifying and turning into a misty cyclone around the sculpture, obscuring it from vision. The fog spread, surrounding the clearing and finally settling around the boy. He continued to play, in a trance, and a loud humming sound came from the earth and rumbled the stone beneath his feet.  


The boy played the last note of the melody, lowering the flute to his side, though the earth continued to thrum. He glanced left and right, unable to see anything through the mist. He turned, panicking as he called, “Momo?” The sound grew louder with each moment, until the boy finally clasped his hands over his ears and knelt, squeezing his eyes shut and crying out.  


The sound disappeared, his scream echoing in the quiet clearing. The boy opened his eyes, looking up but remaining on his knees.  


The surrounding trees had melted away, giving place to stone walls and glass windows. The empty room rose in a high ceiling above him, the stairs leading up to the rest of the temple. On the pedestal where the stone statue stood a moment before, a middle aged woman now sat cross legged, smiling at the boy. Her long green hair hung freely about her body, save for two small buns on the top of her head, and she wore loose white clothing. The boy gazed into her eyes, freezing in place when he saw that they were an electric green, and he quickly bowed his head in reverence.  


The woman spoke, her voice echoing in the chamber. “Rise, Aang. Rise and let me look at you.”  


Aang hesitated, before getting up to stand and face the goddess. His eyes were wide as he beheld her, more curious than afraid. “Farore?”  


She nodded. “Yes, Hero of Time; I have been waiting for you.”  


Aang paused, his shoulders sinking. “So it’s true. The Deku Tree was right?”  


“Indeed.” She cocked her head at the sight of his disappointment. “You are not glad?”  


“I…” He bowed his head. “I… appreciate it, your high… er, your godde- … you. But I’m not the right choice.”  


She considered him. “And why do you say that?”  


“I’ve heard the stories about the last Hero of Time, and I’m nothing like him. I don’t know how to hold a sword or fight monsters or save the world; I’m just a kid from the forest.”  


Farore grinned. “And a ‘kid from the forest’ cannot be a hero?”  


“Well maybe some other kid, but not me.” He looked up at her. “You’ll have to choose someone else.”  


The goddess nodded thoughtfully. “Very well.” She rose to her feet and stretched. “However, it’s been so long since I’ve spoken with a mortal.” Farore reached out a hand to him. “Will you walk through the temple with me?”  


He gaped for a moment, then grinned. “Sure, your goddessness.”  


Despite the fact that she was much taller, Aang put his arm through the crook of her elbow, and they exited the entryway and moved further into the temple, down a hall. Farore indicated a set of carvings on the wall, “These hieroglyphics tell the story of past Heroes of Time. Each one was very different, but they all had one thing in common.”  


Aang considered the pictures. “That funny green hat?”  


Farore laughed, and the sound was like a song. “Well yes, but more importantly, they all had courage.”  


They reached the end of the hall and stepped into a square room, with a central circular platform that rose up three steps from the floor. The platform held a sword embedded in rock, the ornate hilt rising towards the ceiling. Beyond the sword, the wall contained a large stained glass mural of three triangles stacked to create one triangle, with various images of nature surrounding the shapes. Aang stared up at the mural, spellbound. “Is… is that?”  


“The triforce,” Farore answered. “It represents the essence left in this world by myself, and my two sisters.” She indicated the triangle in the bottom right corner. 

“That piece is my essence, the triforce of courage. And on the other side, my sister Nayru left behind the triforce of wisdom. The top is that of power, left in this world by my sister Din.”  


Aang gazed at the mural, and the glass began to move as Farore spoke. “Long ago, we created this land, the kingdom of Hyrule. The kingdom has long fallen, but our essence remains. However, the triforce is far too powerful for one mortal to retain, so we split the triforce across the land, hiding each artifact deep inside temples.”  


The triangles began to shift on the glass, and the triforce of power grew in size and began to glow red, overshadowing the other two triangles. “But at this very moment, the young prince, heir to the long fallen throne of Hyrule, has found and stolen the triforce of power.” The red triangle grew smaller, a figure reaching up to close its hand over the shape. “He has discovered how to siphon it’s power, the fire of Din, and he will use it to reunite the kingdom under his rule, bringing about one hundred years of fire and destruction.” The figure shot fire from it’s hands, and the inferno blazed across the land, swallowing a waterfall with various aquatic creatures, a volcano full of hefty rock figures, and finally devouring the forest, including the Deku Tree and the village where Aang was raised.  


Aang gasped. “No!” The stained glass receded back to its original state, and the boy turned to face Farore. “You have to stop him! You can’t let that happen!”  


Farore gazed at him sadly. “I can do nothing, Aang. If my sisters or I interfere in the mortal plane, the results would be disastrous.”  


He turned back to the glass. “But that’s just what might happen, right? There’s a possibility that it won’t?”  


“I am sorry, Aang, but that future is set in stone.”  


Aang considered. “But it won’t if I become the Hero of Time now. I can take the sword and go face him and stop everything before-”  


“No, Aang. At this time, he is far too powerful for you to face alone.”  


He gaped at her, tears threatening at his eyes. “What? So there’s nothing I can do?! Then what am I even doing here!” He turned, and Farore reached out to put a hand on his shoulder.  


“Please, Aang, let me finish.”  


Aang paused but did not look at her. He finally nodded, silently.  


The goddess continued, “The triforce of power will keep the king alive for many years, but at his eighty-fifth year, he will realize the price of Din’s fire. His body will begin to suffer, and he will seek a new host for his poisoned soul. He will create this new host in the form of an infant boy, and summon Din to bless the child with a kiss in order to grant him the power of fire. However, when he offers the babe to her, his hands will shake uncontrollably, and instead of pressing the kiss to the child’s forehead, she will brush her lips over the babe’s left eye.”  


Aang noticed a red glow on the temple floor, and turned to see the stained glass move and reshape itself once more. He saw the infant held up to Din’s face, the goddess’s expression twisting into concern as the babe screamed silently. A red pattern appeared over the child’s eye, singing itself into the skin there. Aang winced at the sight.  


Farore said, “Repulsed by the child’s appearance, the king will send him to the Goron Mountain, to be thrown into the fires of the volcano.”  


“That’s horrible!”  


“Yes,” she murmured. “It is. But the wicked king did not consider the kindness of the Goron people, who will take pity on the child and choose to raise him as their own.” The triforce changed again, showing the three goddesses conversing over the image of the volcano. “The Goron’s choice caused much discussion between my sisters and me, and then Nayru posed an idea. Much like Din had blessed the child with her mark, Nayru and I would bless two other individuals, granting them the power of water and air.” The images of the goddesses melted into three new figures: Din became the boy with the scar on his eye, Nayru became a young woman with a blue mark on her forehead, and Farore became a young boy who resembled Aang, except that he had a green mark on his forehead. “The three heroes would join together and bring an end to the reign of the evil king, and ultimately save the kingdom.”  


Aang stared up at the glass. There was a long moment of silence before he turned back to Farore. “But… That’s going to happen a hundred years from now. If I’m the Hero of Time, I’d be an old man by then.”  


Her electric green eyes held him. “That is why you must stay here.” She indicated the sword embedded in the stone platform. “Once you take the hilt of the sword, you will sleep for one hundred years. After that, you must find the other heroes, and restore balance to the land.”  


“What!” Aang backed away. “You want me to sleep for a hundred years?! But what about my village? My friends?”  


She bowed her head. “I know it is a lot to ask of you, Aang. I have seen the future, and I already know the pain this decision may cause you.” Farore eyed him. “But you must trust me when I say that you are the right choice, the only choice. The hardships you will endure will be immense, but you will not face them alone. You will be joined by the other heroes, and at the end of your journey, the three of you will gain something more precious than gold or jewels, than land or kingdoms, even greater than the magic that my sisters and I will grant you.”  


Aang paused, glancing back towards the door. “But… I don’t want something more precious than gold. I don’t want a destiny or a sword or a funny green hat. I want to be a normal kid and stay in my village.”  


The goddess spoke softly. “I understand, but even if you go back now, that life will never be an option. The darkness has already begun to spread. Soon it will arrive at the forest, then consume the village.”  


Aang turned to her. “So I don’t even have a choice.”  


“We always have a choice.”  


“... why me? Why in a hundred years did you choose me, and not anyone else?”  


Farore smiled affectionately at him. “My power comes from courage. Of all the souls in all this time, yours is the bravest.”  


“Well I don’t feel very brave.” He shut his eyes. “I just feel… scared.”  


The goddess took his hand. “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”  


Aang looked down at her hand, and then into her eyes. He grinned halfheartedly.  


Farore added, “Also when I bless you with the power of wind, you’re going to come up with all these new tricks that I’ve never even considered before.”  


He raised an eyebrow at her. “Really? Like what?”  


“There’s this one where you take a pebble and spin it around in your fingers really fast.” Her eyes lit up. “Or the one where you ride around on a ball of air; even I haven’t been able to master that one!”  


Aang laughed, pulling his hand from her grasp to examine his fingers. “I guess… having magic powers wouldn’t be so bad.”  


“And wait until you see what Katara can do with water, or Zuko with fi-“ she stopped herself. “Ah, I wasn’t supposed to say their names yet.”  


“Katara? Zuko?”  


Farore waved her hands. “All in due time, hero. Now, are you ready to receive my blessing?”  


Aang took a deep breath, then nodded.  


The goddess reached out and cupped her hands around his face, tipping his head forward. She pressed her lips to his forehead, and Aang felt a tremor through his body.  


As Farore stepped back, he became more aware of his breath. His pulse began to rush through his body like a gust, and when he inhaled, he felt a cyclone of energy rip through his lungs.  


“Whoa.” Aang lifted his right hand above his left, creating a small sphere of wind that roiled and twisted between his palms. “Okay, this is cool.”  


Farore chuckled. “I’m glad you think so.” She raised a hand and indicated the sword in the center of the platform. “It is time, hero.”  


Aang paused. “Can I say goodbye to my village?”  


She shook her head. “You know too much about what will happen; if you speak to them now, you will endanger their futures.”  


“Oh…” He glanced back to the arch, surprised to see a small, furry head peeking out from behind the door. “Momo! There you are!”  


The lemur chirped and ran forward, climbing up his leg and sitting on his shoulder. Aang pressed his head against the creature’s, looking up at Farore pleadingly. “Do I have to go alone?”  


The goddess raised an eyebrow. “Well…”  


“Pleeeeease?”  


She rolled her eyes playfully. “Very well.” Farore leaned down and pressed her lips to Momo’s nose. “There; he will be protected from the winds of time.”  


Aang grinned and scratched under Momo’s jaw. “You ready for an adventure, buddy?”  


The lemur purred at the touch, snuggling in deeper to Aang’s neck.  


Farore bowed her head. “We will not speak like this again, but know that I will be guiding you every step of the way.”  


“Oh, really?” His smile faded. “Well… in that case… I guess this is goodbye.”  


“Not goodbye, my hero, just until we meet again.” Farore’s green eyes glittered as her visage began to disappear. “Sleep well, Aang.”  


In the next moment, he was alone once more in the throne room. Aang gazed at the sword, hesitating. Momo pressed his face against Aang’s cheek, and the hero smiled at the creature, lifting his fingers to scratch behind the lemur’s ears. He squared his shoulders, kneeling before the weapon. He looked up to the stained glass mural, before reaching up and grasping the hilt. 

* * *

_Farore’s voice echoes in the darkness of slumber. “I could not tell you the future Aang, but I can show you in your dreams.”  
_

_He will wake up, rising from his position on the forest floor to see that the trees have grown so much taller. Aang shall yawn, looking down to see his new green clothing, reaching up to touch his new headwear and muttering about the funny hat. Momo will be laying beside him, and the Hero of Time shall reach out and scratch the lemur behind the ears. Together, they are going to rise, and go into the new world together.  
_

_The village will be long gone, replaced by a flat plain filled with a bison herd. Aang is going to see a bison with a pattern resembling the mark of Farore on its forehead, matching his own. Excited, he will chase the herd in an attempt to separate out the marked bison, standing back in confusion after an hour or so, before realizing that he is going to catch the animal much more quickly by offering food and then affection. Ultimately, the bison shall press it’s horned head against his chest, letting out a loud, guttural grunt. Aang will laugh, name the bison Appa, and he will set out with his two animal companions.  
_

_Aang shall head to Death Mountain first. The Gorons who dwell there will be suspicious of him at first; the rock people will have learned to be mistrustful after the years under the rule of Hyrule’s evil king. The Gorons are going to expect Aang to prove himself before meeting their ‘little brother’, the boy with the scar on his eye. Aang shall defeat one of the fiery monsters that live in the volcano. The Gorons will be so grateful that he will be allowed to meet Zuko, intending for Aang to work with him to destroy the remaining monsters within the fire temple.  
_

_The Hylian boy with the mark of Din will be muscular, his black hair pulled into a ponytail above his shaved head, resembling the pointed appearance of the rock people. His eyes will be amber, and Aang shall find himself captivated by the pools of molten gold. Together, the two are going to destroy the great hidden evil within the mountain; once they strike the final blow, the goddess Din will appear, greeting the heroes and offering thanks and wishing them luck on their journey.  
_

_However, Zuko will have become accustomed to hiding, concerned with leaving Death Mountain and the safety of the world he has known. Aang will convince him, showing Zuko his own control over air, and letting him know that they will protect each other from the influence of Hyrule’s king. The hero with the power of fire will bow to his Goron family, cutting his hair and leaving the mountain.  
_

_The two will learn to travel together; Zuko’s time with the Gorons shall give him stubbornness and a direct approach to problem solving, something that Aang will challenge. Zuko will be confused by Aang’s ease with the world and carefree attitude, especially when he learns of the Hero of Time’s loss. The two will find a harmony with their powers, covering each other’s backs and gaining trust as they traverse the land, heading to the water dwelling to find the third hero chosen by Nayru.  
_

_Zuko and Aang shall arrive at the hidden water dwelling of the Zora people, aquatic folk who will initially avoid and suspect the Hylian newcomers. The heroes are going to meet with the Zora Queen; she will be hesitant to hand over her adopted daughter, Katara, telling the boys that they must first prove themselves and defeat the great monster in the ancient water temple.  
_

_The heroes are going to enter the water temple; Aang’s eagerness will cause them to fall into a trap. However, before the two are drowned, a mysterious ghost will appear; she is going to resemble a Hylian, with red markings on her face and long dark robes. The ghost shall save them from the trap, calling herself the Painted Lady and saying she will help them navigate the temple.  
_

_The Painted Lady shall help the heroes solve the puzzles and traps that await them, before finally stepping back so they can defeat the monster lying in wait in the heart of the temple. Once the beast is defeated, the Painted Lady will return, thanking the heroes for their good deeds. The goddess Nayru will appear, reaching out to remove the garments that adorn the Painted Lady, revealing the ghost to be the Hylian hero, Katara. Nayru will lean down and kiss Katara’s forehead, blessing her with the power of water, before wishing the heroes well and fading.  
_

_Katara will be tall, with dark skin and long brown hair pulled into a neat braid, resembling the long fin-like heads of the Zora. Her blue eyes will fall upon the boys eagerly, ready to join them in their quest to bring peace to the land.  
_

_The three heroes will face many challenges together. Katara’s caution will often save the boys from impulsive decisions, and their experience with their own elements shall offer guidance and lead her to ultimately master her own element faster than the other two heroes. As they travel through the ruins of the old world, overcoming the monsters and fiery beasts that plague the temples and villages, the three will grow closer.  
_

_In the desert wastes, Katara’s survival skills and resilience will save them from perishing in the sand. In the snowy mountains, Zuko’s warmth is going to draw the other two heroes in, and they shall spend many freezing nights entangled inside the tent. In the sky temple, Aang’s freedom and ability to solve issues from a different perspective will prevent them from falling to their deaths.  
_

_It is Zuko who shall feel the first pang of an unfamiliar emotion; when they spend the night at an inn, the tavern bard will invite the three heroes to dance. Aang shall leap to his feet, reaching out his hands to both of them; Katara will take his left hand, but Zuko is going to remain sitting, watching as the two begin to move together. He will see the way they look at each other, brown eyes meeting blue, bodies weaving together on the dance floor. The feeling within Zuko is going to build, reaching a high point when the heroes finish the dance; Aang will dip Katara with his arm around her waist, the two of them panting breathlessly as they gaze into each other’s eyes. Startled by the intense emotion, Zuko is going to stand quickly and step outside of the tavern. He will breathe deeply, staring up at the stars as he tries to navigate the feelings with no luck as to identifying which of his teammates caused them.  
_

_Katara will be next; they shall return from an exhausting mission to relax in the hot springs of Death Mountain. She will find her way through the steam, arriving at the hot spring to see Aang cuddled close to Zuko, both of them already nodding off. She shall step slowly into the water, not wanting to wake either of the heroes, but will be unable to quiet the unrest within her. Katara will look between their sleeping faces, her heart unable to settle on either of her teammates. She will finally lean back and gaze towards the dimming sky, struggling silently with the guilt of indecision.  
_

_Aang will be the last. During one difficult battle, Zuko will sustain a deep wound on his chest, and Katara is going to immediately rush to his side and use her water powers to heal him. Long after the fight, the scar shall continue to plague Zuko, and Katara will often stop their journey to continue healing him. Aang will watch each time, continuing to quell the emotions within him in favor of his duty to the world. Katara shall graze her palms over Zuko’s skin, and he will smile at her and make a joke, causing her to blush. Aang will stand quickly, the other heroes looking after him with concern when he leaves to meditate.  
_

_It will be the penultimate fight when the evil king’s new prodigy shall separate Zuko from the other heroes, kidnapping and enslaving him for the king’s own wicked means. The first night they must sleep without Zuko, Aang and Katara will build a much larger fire than usual, sullen and unable to replace the heat of the lost hero. They shall gaze into the flames silently, before Katara will begin to cry. Aang shall rush to her side, trying to take her into his arms, but she will push him away and weep, “No, don’t.” She will lift her head and sigh, “I’m sorry, Aang; I know we’ll get him back, I know we’ll save him… But I’m just so confused…”  
_

_“About what, Katara?”  
_

_She is going to cast her eyes downward, ashamed. “I… I don’t even know where to start. I feel like I’m being torn apart, down two different paths but I can’t decide which is the one I really want.” She will look up at him. “I know this is wrong, but once I realized he was gone, I thought my path would be clearer. I would come to an agreement with myself, discover which…” Her breath shall catch in her throat.  
_

_Aang will stare at her, cocking his head slightly. “Wait… are you in love with Zuko?”  
_

_She is going to squeeze her eyes shut. “Yes.” His hand will begin to leave hers but her fingers are going to dig in and pull him back. “But I also love you!” Tears will flow freely from her blue eyes as they lock on his face. “And I know it’s selfish, I know when this is over, I’ll have to choose but I don’t think I can.” Her shoulder will sink. “And… I just feel so ashamed…”  
_

_He is going to blink at her, before a relieved smile will break across his features. “Katara… I know this is hard to believe, but I know exactly what you’re going through.”  
_

_She shall glance up at him, wiping away a tear. “You… you do?”  
_

_Aang is going to pull her in close. “I love Zuko.” He will press his forehead to hers, and both of their marks left by the goddesses shall touch. “And I love you, too.”  
_

_They will be still for a long moment, drinking in the epiphany. They shall reach up and share a soft kiss, before Katara will pull away, worry on her face. “Do you think Zuko feels the same way?”  
_

_Aang is going to shrug helplessly. “Only one way to find out.” He will take her hand in his. “But first, we have to rescue him.”  
_

_They shall spend the next several days making their way to the castle. Aang and Katara will fight viciously through the armies of fire monsters that lay in their path, spurred on by their desire to save the world and the one they love. They shall arrive at the castle, running through the halls and fending off beasts until finally, they are going to enter the throne room.  
_

_The evil king will sit high above them on a pedestal; behind him, a statue of the three goddesses will be surrounded in flame. The ruler’s face will be hidden in shadow, his deep voice murmuring, “Welcome young ones. I have long awaited your arrival. You see, when I came to power a hundred years ago, the goddess Din gave me a prophecy. She told me that I would be defeated by three heroes.” He is going to lean forward into the light, and they will see he wears a villainous grin. “But alas, I count only two.”  
_

_Katara will growl, “Where’s Zuko? What did you do with him?”  
_

_The king shall raise an eyebrow. “I only did my part in helping him reach his destiny.” From the shadows, two glowing red eyes will appear. A figure is going to step into the center of the room; Zuko, his long hair unkempt and hanging over his features, golden chains draped along the crimson fabric of his tunic. His expression will be blank and entranced, his movements jolting as though he were held up by invisible strings. Above him, the king is going to release a cruel laugh. “I did create him, after all. His mind still fights my influence, but his will is fading, and soon his body will become my new host.” The king shall lift his hand, curling his fingers into a fist. “And when his body begins to rot, I’ll find another, and another, and my reign will be eternal!”  
_

_“That won’t happen! We’ll stop you!” Aang will shout.  
_

_“Stop me?” The king shall leer menacingly. “First, you’ll have to stop him.”  
_

_Zuko is going to lunge at them, thrusting out his fists and blasting the heroes with a cyclone of flame. Aang and Katara will leap aside, rushing forward to attack but hesitating with each blow. Zuko shall take advantage of their reluctance, assaulting them with flare after flare. The fight will go on for too long, and Katara shall finally call Aang and they will know what has to be done.  
_

_Aang will lure Zuko in, dodging his attacks until he is only a few feet away. At that moment, Katara shall rush in from the side with a wave, shoving Zuko against the wall. She will clench her fists and the water will become ice, locking his body in place with hands and head free. Zuko shall snarl, eyes still filled with light, fists clenched and glowing red hot. Aang and Katara are going to run to him, reaching out.  
_

_“Zuko,” Aang shall murmur, leaning up to press his forehead against Zuko’s. “Please.”  
_

_“Come back to us,” Katara will whisper, following Aang’s lead. Zuko is going to hiss at the touch, panting heavily for a moment as the two heroes sit still. Their marks will begin to glow, first Aang’s green, then Katara’s blue, and finally, the red mark of Din over Zuko’s eye. The light of their magic shall mingle together, stretching out and covering their bodies. The three will radiate, together and whole.  
_

_The king shall scream, “No!” He will lift his fist and shoot a blast of fire at the three heroes, but the flames are going to fall away before they can reach their bodies.  
_

_After a few moments, the light will dim; Katara and Aang shall pull away, the ice turning back to water and falling aside as the two heroes catch Zuko in their arms. He is going to stumble forward, blinking away the light that had swallowed his eyes moments before. Zuko will look up at Aang, then Katara, confused. “What… What happened?”  
_

_“You were possessed,” Katara will say.  
_

_“But you’re okay now; we’ve got you.” Aang shall smile at him.  
_

_Above them, the king will rise to his feet and shout, “No! I created you; you belong to me!” The ruler shall reach out and focus his energy on Zuko.  
_

_The hero’s eyes are going to glow with the possessive red light again, but this time they will flicker as Zuko grunts and fights back. He will move away from Katara and Aang’s support, standing alone and facing the evil king. “I belong to no one.” Zuko shall raise his arms, Katara and Aang taking their places at his side, and the three heroes will stand together, ready for battle. The evil king is going to scream, leaping from his pedestal and rushing forward, surrounded in flames.  
_

_The fight will be long and hard, the three heroes working together to take down the king. Every fire beast they had faced, every monster lying in wait deep within the temples, will have prepared them for this. The king will be powerful, but the years of wear on his body and his mind shall have weakened him.  
_

_Finally, the three heroes will subdue him, causing him to fall to his knees and pant heavily. The evil king shall look up at them furiously, spitting blood from his mouth. His arms are going to tremble as he struggles to rise, but is unable to. He will cry out in anger, “No! You cannot defeat me! I am eternal!”  
_

_Behind him, the flames will disintegrate around the statue of the goddesses. The sculpture will move, emitting a bright light as three ethereal figures step from the stone. In the center, Din shall radiate a soft red, Nayru blue, Farore green. The goddesses are going to move towards the king and surround him, linking their hands as the power drains from his body. He shall scream as his magic disappears, his body collapsing to the ground and reaching out before his entire visage is gone, leaving nothing but a scorch mark on the stone floor.  
_

_The goddesses will turn to face the heroes; Din eyeing Zuko solemnly, Nayru meeting Katara’s eyes with a look of pride, Farore grinning at Aang. The three shall speak in unison, “Thank you.” In the next moment, they will be gone.  
_

_Zuko shall falter and fall, but Katara and Aang will hold him and lower him to the ground, so that the three are kneeling. The three heroes are going to embrace for a long moment, before Katara shall pull away and say with concern, “Are you okay, Zuko?”  
_

_“I’m fine.” He will pause when he sees Aang and Katara’s fingers intertwined. Zuko shall lean back, his hands resting in clenched fists on his knees.  
_

_Aang and Katara will exchange glances, before the Hero of Time says, “Zuko, we have something to tell you-”  
_

_“No, let me speak first.” Zuko will bow his head. “I haven’t been honest with you, either of you. I put my feelings aside for the sake of duty, but now that the world is saved, I… I can speak freely.” He shall sigh. “I… I care so much about both of you. More than I should. But I don’t know which…” Zuko will clear his throat. “Either way, just… if you two want to be together, I won’t stand in your way.”  
_

_The two heroes are going to smile at him, glancing back at each other. Aang will say, “We do want to be together…”  
_

_Katara shall reach out and cup Zuko’s face, lifting his head to look into his amber eyes. “And we want to be with you.”  
_

_Zuko is going to stare at her, realization dawning over his features. “What? But I thought-”  
_

_“We love you, Zuko,” Aang shall murmur, leaning in to embrace him once more. Katara will do the same, the two heroes nuzzling into Zuko’s shoulders.  
_

_The hero with the power of fire shall gape for a moment, tears beginning to well in his eyes before he reaches around their bodies and squeezes them tightly around their waists, whispering, “I love you too. Both of you.” The three are going to hold each other for a long moment, before Zuko will pull back and take Aang’s face in his hands. He shall gaze into the Hero of Time’s brown eyes, tracing his lips with his thumb. He is going to kiss Aang passionately, breaking from his lips to kiss Katara as she leans in, moving his hand to cup her jaw.  
_

_The three will exchange kisses, brushing their lips along each other’s faces and necks. Aang will be the first to start giggling, followed by Katara. Zuko shall smile as he kisses Katara’s cheek, kisses Aang’s forehead, and starts chuckling quietly. Aang and Katara are going to break out into ecstatic laughter, tackling Zuko to the floor as he begins to join in. The empty throne room will echo with the sound of their joy, the setting sun spilling light through the windows and bathing the three in a golden glow._  


* * *

Aang woke up, blinking in the light of dawn as the dream faded from his memory. He rose from his position on the forest floor to see that the trees had grown so much taller, the ruins so much more ancient. Aang yawned, looking down to see his new green clothing, reaching up to touch his new headwear and muttering about the funny hat. He saw Momo laying beside him, and the Hero of Time reached out to scratch the lemur behind the ears. Together, they rose, and went into the new world together.

**Author's Note:**

> Just cashing in on the Avatar renaissance with the solar system brain ship (galaxy brain is obviously Zukka). As a child I was so torn between Kataang, Zutara, and Zukaang until the little girl from the Old El Paso taco kit commercial broke into my home, smashed my computer, and uttered that famous phrase in 1000 ancient voices. If you enjoy this fic, feel free to leave kudos or a comment! Love and stuff.


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